I’m New Here

Making the switch from high school to junior high is like switching from a coffee shop to Disneyland. We go to coffee shops for community in an environment that creates conversation, that is high school ministry. Junior High ministry is like going to Disneyland, its loud and chaotic and you don’t go to sit and talk. But the shared experience by all who attend is often more important than the things you talked about.

Junior high is the most rejected and ignored group within a community, and it is no different in a church. The real challenge is that even junior highers recognize and begin to believe their lowered status. Very few people in the world appreciate this age, and even less choose to work with them, I am blessed to be surrounded by people who love junior highers.

Junior high students need to be listened to. There are some who talk too much, some who don’t know what to say, but all of them need to be heard. That’s what we do, we listen and we care.

This is a new adventure for my wife and me and we are not sure where this is going. But we know that God has called us here and we are finding a new rhythm in our life. So here’s to candy showers, hand motions in worship and shared experiences that speak louder than the message I worked on all week.